Challenges of Today’s Professional Service Provider

October 25, 2016

We work with a LOT of professional service providers. Why wouldn’t we? They know about the importance of delivering outstanding value, they keep up with what’s available in terms of tools and generally they are a motivated, ambitious and sincere group of business owners.

They are also generally manic! I was asked recently about the challenges that a professional service provider faces in today’s business and my automatic response was a lack of time. Particularly so with PSP’s who tend to wear a number of hats, the challenge is not to spread themselves too thin. You’ll find a lawyer in today’s climate who does all the HR, the main income earner in terms of billable time, they drive their marketing and keep up with social media accounts, while often picking up the admin tasks their receptionist or PA doesn’t have time for. They chase outstanding accounts, drive website projects and … some manage to balance a family at the same time! So yes, time and that multi-hat wearing management style are the biggest challenges for today’s PSP.

What to do? Well, valium is good!

So is taking a deep breath and getting off that hamster wheel for a minute.

When I have a discovery with Mr / Mrs Manager-extraordinaire above, they’ve already made the first step in looking at outsourcing options. I’ll ask them what their goals are, both short term and long term and what projects and strategies they have in place for reaching those goals. 7 / 10 times there aren’t any. Because let’s get real here, who has time!

I’m a professional service provider and I’ve been Mrs Manager-extraordinaire. And I got too busy, too tired and too rushed and things just didn’t get done (or didn’t get done as well as they used to). The best thing I did was to get a business coach. Then we looked at my options. I took an honest look at where my time was best spent and put a strategy in place to give me that time. Not an easy journey but when I look at what I do now, and what I was doing 5 years ago, a massive difference. And no valium!

If you don’t already, get a business coach. Find one that’s a good match for you and there will be no looking back, I promise.

Then, get yourself a virtual assistant. Again, find one that’s a good match for you personally and download this ebook if you’re not sure how to proceed, or how to get the best out of this relationship.

Surround yourself with experts to compliment your own expertise. You need an expert to manage your marketing. An expert to help with the admin overflow. An expert to help with your bookkeeping. An expert to manage your experts! You get the message. These experts will do a better job in less time than you will, while saving you money at the same time. You get to spend your time on the tasks only you can do, tasks where you add value to your business. And if you manage your newfound extra hours well, time to hit the golf course or knock off early and take your family to the beach. After all, isn’t that why you decided to go into business for yourself – so you’re the boss (not your business!).

Comment below to share your own challenge when it comes to running your business.